A volunteer at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has said that singing with the patients is 'the best part' of her week.
Pat McCanley, 69, has committed herself to volunteering at Gartnavel General Hospital since 2016.
For her, singing along with the patients and spending quality time with them is the highlight of her week.
She adores her weekly visits to Ward 6A, one of the hospital's wards for older people.
(Image: Pat)
Having retired from her career as a primary school teacher, she now makes use of her time for voluntary work, and enjoys chatting and reading with the older patients.
Through her companionship, patients enduring prolonged stays are offered an amicable environment in the hospital.
The volunteer also charms them with her singing voice, tuning into songs familiar to those under her care.
Pat encourages patients to sing along whilst she helps those who falter in recalling the lyrics.
Some of the chartbuster hits relished include the nostalgic Doris Day's 'Que Sera, Sera' and 'Ae Fond Kiss'.
The Glasgow West End native said: "I love the time I spend with the patients here, you meet so many different people that you might not otherwise be introduced to and it’s fascinating and a privilege to hear their stories.
"The songs we sing might be requested, or songs that spark memories for some of the patients.
"It gets them out of their rooms for a couple of hours and gives them an opportunity to socialise."
She highlights the joy of patients associating certain melodies with their past, further accentuating their feelings.
Acknowledging those reluctant to sing along, she offers a gentle ear for them to share their memories and moments of joy.
The covid-19 pandemic was a struggle for Pat as she was unable to attend the sessions.
But she insisted on resuming her duties at the earliest opportunity, citing her 'banter' with the patients as something she missed substantially.
She urged the public to consider volunteering at NHSGGC's centres owing to the variety of roles available.
She said: "To be a good volunteer on the wards you need to have a listening ear and an ability to start conversations, but there are lots of different roles you can do.
"During Covid I missed it so much - I missed the banter.
"If I’m unable to attend on my usual day I will always try to come in on an alternative day.
"I won’t miss it if I can help it - it’s the best part of my week."
(Image: NHS volunteer)
In the same vein, another volunteer, Archana Kannappan, a resident of the city centre and a mother of one, showed relentless support to the older patients.
She cherishes spending time with the patients, motivating them to take part in group and individual exercises.
She also indulges in playing word puzzles and conducting simple games whilst keeping them engaged in cordial conversations about their day.
NHSGGC volunteer services manager Natalie Bonner said: "The contribution volunteers make is immeasurable, and we are pleased that Volunteers’ Week gives us the opportunity to celebrate and say a huge thank you to them."
Volunteers have dedicated 45,605 hours across NHSGGC’s sites in different roles over the past 12 months.
Those interested in volunteering can visit NHSGGC’s website for more information.
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